NASA is getting ready to launch space shuttle mission STS-130 in February. I know Nicholas Patrick, one of the six crew members on this mission. So I thought it would be interesting to look at this mission in detail.

This is the 32nd flight to the space station for the shuttle. The main goal on this mission is to deliver the Tranquility node and the Cupola (a huge new window for the space station).

Today’s event: Space Shuttle Endeavor rolled out from the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) to the launch pad, as seen in this video:

Seeing the cars drive by, and the people walking next to the crawler, you can get a perspective on how huge the whole thing is.

The launch isn’t until February 7, so the shuttle will sit on the pad for a month getting ready. Tomorrow we will take a look at the Tranquility node and see why it is generating so much excitement.

More info:
- How space shuttles work
- How space stations work